The goal of the SIG is to showcase and grow research related to designing, modifying, or constructing technology-artifacts to enact change by addressing complex business problems or tackling pressing societal issues. In the Information Systems (IS) field, technical research has traditionally complemented the behavioral and economics perspectives by emphasizing research related to the design and deployment of novel IT artifacts. Examples of research genres and methods of technical inquiry in IS include design science, computational design, IS data science, and design-oriented analytical modeling. Such technical research is crucial to the IS field’s socio-technical axis of cohesion. At a time when many fields are studying “technology and managerial implications” (e.g., OB, Strategy, Marketing, OM), design artifacts and prescriptive knowledge claims are an important differentiator for IS. In the age of Big Tech, we need SIG TECH.
The purpose of SIG TECH is two-fold:
(1) Community-building: To promote the exchange of ideas, experiences, and knowledge among scholars and professionals interested in technical IS research pertaining to the design, development, and/or deployment of information systems and technology. The SIG TECH annual workshop will showcase some of the best research from WITS (to bring that wealth of technical thought-leadership into ICIS), research prototype demo sessions (something common to technical IS but uncommon in the traditional behavioral/economics of IS traditions), tech tutorials, and panels in order to foster deeper engagement, dialogue, and community building within the IS community around emerging technologies and trends. Ultimately, SIG TECH hopes to contribute to a more vibrant, differentiable, and impactful socio-technical discourse in IS.
(2) Convening: SIG TECH also hopes to serve as a convener of activities and cross-pollination amongst longstanding technical IS research communities. Through the annual SIG TECH workshop at ICIS, the SIG will serve as a hub for these communities, which each have their annual events at different times/locations throughout the year.